Hot Wheels Are Cooler Than Ever — And These Fun Sets Prove it
Hot Wheels Are Cooler Than Ever — And These Fun Sets Prove it
Anyone who grew up post the 1970s know how cool Hot Wheels sets are, but honestly, nothing in my '90s childhood compares to what they have available for kids now: Think sets with elevators, sets with more ramps than you can imagine, and even waterproof options! There are themed sets and hanging sets, too.
In my opinion, Hot Wheels are so much more than just car toys. They're entire worlds for your kids’ imaginations to run with. There are carports with color-changing cars, as well as themed garages with fantastical elements like dragons and giant gorillas. Hot Wheels also does a great job of making sure that they have sets at tons of different price points, so that they are accessible to as many children as possible.
Whether your child has a bunch of Hot Wheels sets and cars at home, or this is the very first set you're buying for them, there's nothing quite like it. These are the very best Hot Wheels sets available right now for your kids.
1) Ultimate Octo Car Wash Playset
Hot Wheels
amazon.come
$60.89
Have you ever seen a Hot Wheels car wash? Well, now you have. It's 4 feet long, and has real water tanks to work with the color-changing Hot Wheels sets. It's genuine clean fun, and the water tubs aren't really big enough to flood your living room. Win-win.
2) City Octopus Invasion Attack Playset
Hot Wheels
amazon.com
$10.99
Let me tell you that you've never had fun until you've played Hot Wheels with a three year old when they realize that the car is going to shoot out of the octopus's mouth and roll down the hill of its tentacle. It's joy, it's hilarity, it's ridiculous, and it's under $20 with a car included. Did we just win at the holidays?
3) Track Set and 1:64 Scale Toy Car
Hot Wheels
amazon.com
$58.99
Is it just me, or have Hot Wheels tracks gotten more and more complex? This one practically defies gravity. Standing a whopping 29 inches tall, this massive set lets cars fly down a funnel at lightning speeds, shooting the cars off the bottom ramp and across the road. It's bound to keep kids entertained for hours.
4) Jurassic World Clash ‘N Crash Track Set
Hot Wheels
walmart.com
$44.88
What's more fun than crashing your cars? Crashing you cars with dinosaurs from Jurassic World looking down over the whole thing and causing the crashes with their big, pointy teeth.
T-rex takes you out on the course by chomping the large track clean in half. Cars go flying, kids laugh their booties off, and you can sit back and have a cup of coffee. A win all around.
5) City Super Twist Tire Shop Playset
Hot Wheels
walmart.com
$34.95
Moving the cool gears moves the whole thing and it moves the car up ready for play. One car is included, but there's room for four cars on the ramp. The gears give your kids more control over the play that the majority of Hot Wheels kits, and that really appeals to some kids who don't love the speed of play of other sets.
6) Monster Trucks Blast Station Playset
Hot Wheels
macys.com
$16.99
Your kid will place their monster truck into the slam launcher, aim it, and pow! It's launched into action.
The details on this oversized set are pretty great. The gas station has moving pumps, the hoses move, and there's even an adjustable lift. Kids can aim their trucks at the billboard, at each other, wherever. It's all about destruction.
7) 5 Car Pack Color Changing Toy Cars
Hot Wheels
amazon.com
$29.99
These are just oh, so cool. The whole car changes color when submerged in cool water. These sets can be used with the car wash shown on the previous slide, or all on their own. In addition, these cars are particularly good as bath toys for reluctant bathers.
8) Colossal Crash Track Set
Hot Wheels
amazon.com
$73.43
Is there anything better in the land of Hot Wheels than the epic crash? Not really. This figure-8 competitive track set lets kids battle it out on the track with the explicit purpose of running into each other head-on. (I can already hear my kids smack-talking each other.)
9) T-Rex Volcano Arena Playset with Lights & Sounds
Hot Wheels
amazon.com
$121.98
What do 5-year olds love almost as much as they love cars? Dinosaurs and monster trucks. This set combines both of those things, thanks to classic Hot Wheels tracks and awesome light and sound features.
This is a launcher toy, which means that the monster truck included can be shot from the launcher and past the dinosaur that pops out of the volcano. How cool is that?
10) Super Ultimate Garage Playset
Hot Wheels
amazon.com
$131.67
One of the hottest toys of 2021, the Ultimate Garage Playset is admittedly an intense operation. There are multiple levels, a garage that fits 140 Hot Wheels cars, a King Kong creature just trying to level the joint, and of course, super-cool tracks.
Yes, it's pretty expensive, but remember that it's not just a Hot Wheels set: It's also Hot Wheels storage.
11) Launch Across Challenge
Hot Wheels
amazon.com
$41.08
There is a ton of fun in the simplicity of this toy. It's a competitive option that launches the cars across the tracks and into flipping tiles that are worth different points.
It's a great intro to Hot Wheels, and is set at a good price point. It's also a fun and easy gift.
12) Transporter Truck
Hot Wheels
amazon.com
$23.99
Your kid will be obsessed with this transforming transporter truck with the famous Hot Wheel 360-degree loop. You can store up to 23 cars at a time with this truck, so it can serve double duty as both toy and storage.
13) City Air Attack Robo Dragon Play Set
Hot Wheels
walmart.com
$74.99
Freaking dragons! Can you even? The flying, fire-breathing reptile is trying to get to your kids' cars — or perhaps their lunch box. Either way, things are getting treacherous in Hot Wheels land.
And get this: The dragon is motorized. Hit the button at the top, and his wings flap as he flies down. Your kids can set their cars off against the dragon, and if they hit it at just the right spot, the dragon will be thrown off track from his mission!
14) Mega Construx Track Ripper & Kart Construction Set
Mega Construx
walmart.com
$11.69
Building plus cars equals really good times. This Mega Construx toy lets kids build their own jumbo-size Hot Wheels set, complete with mini figures. It even includes two cars to send off into speed mode.
It's the best Hot Wheels set for kids who can't choose between racing and building. It's a bridge toy that allows them to do both.
15) Track Builder Stunt Box
Hot Wheels
amazon.com
$67.31
Open-ended play is huge for kids — including open-ended building. This kit allows kids to build their own stunt track in whichever way they desire. It comes with a base (box), track pieces, banked curves, a crash-zone lid, launchers, a diverter and two vehicles for easy building.
Whether your child has a bunch of Hot Wheels sets and cars at home, or this is the very first set you're buying for them, these are the very best available right now for your kids.